Privacy Policy

Dental Art Clinic respects your privacy. This policy explains how we handle personal information and personal health information when you use our website, contact the clinic, or receive dental care from us.

Privacy laws that apply

As an Ontario dental clinic, Dental Art Clinic handles patient health records under Ontario's Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA). Some non-health personal information related to our website, administration, or commercial activities may also be handled under Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), where it applies.

This page is a plain-language summary for patients and website visitors. If there is any difference between this summary and the law, the law governs.

Information we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

• contact details such as your name, phone number, email address, mailing address, and preferred appointment times;
• personal health information needed to provide dental care, including dental and medical history, medications, allergies, examination notes, radiographs, treatment plans, consent records, referrals, and billing records;
• insurance, CDCP, and payment information needed to estimate fees, submit claims, and administer your account;
• messages you send through forms, email, phone, or in person; and
• limited website information such as browser, device, page, and analytics data collected through standard website tools.

How we use information

We use personal information and personal health information to:

• provide dental assessment, diagnosis, treatment, follow-up care, and referrals;
• book, confirm, reschedule, and remind you about appointments;
• communicate with you about your care, questions, estimates, forms, and account;
• process insurance, CDCP, and payment information;
• operate, secure, audit, and improve the clinic and website;
• meet professional, legal, regulatory, accounting, and records-retention obligations; and
• respond to privacy requests, complaints, or safety concerns.

Consent and choices

We collect, use, and disclose information with your consent, or as otherwise permitted or required by law. Consent may be express or implied depending on the context, such as when you provide information so we can book an appointment or provide dental care.

You may withdraw consent for optional uses where withdrawal is legally and practically possible. Withdrawing consent may affect our ability to provide some services. We will explain any practical consequences when you make the request.

When information may be shared

We do not sell patient information. We may disclose information only as reasonably needed for your care, clinic operations, payment administration, or as permitted or required by law. This may include sharing information with:

• dental specialists, physicians, laboratories, pharmacies, or other providers involved in your care;
• insurers, CDCP administrators, payment processors, and benefits administrators;
• secure technology, records, booking, hosting, email, analytics, and professional-service providers who support clinic operations;
• regulators, courts, public authorities, or other parties when the law requires or permits disclosure; and
• another provider or custodian if records must be transferred for continuity of care.

Service providers and cross-border processing

Some website, hosting, forms, email, SMS, CRM, analytics, security, payment, or administrative service providers may process or store personal information or personal health information in the United States or other countries outside Canada. When information is processed or stored outside Canada, it may be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction, including lawful access requests by foreign courts, governments, or law-enforcement authorities.

Where we use service providers, we take reasonable steps to require them to protect the information they handle for us and to use it only for the services they provide to the clinic.

Safeguards

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. These include role-based access, staff confidentiality expectations, secure record systems, and reasonable controls for paper and electronic records.

No website, email system, or electronic storage method is completely risk-free. Please avoid sending highly sensitive health information through a website form or regular email if you are not comfortable with that risk; call the clinic instead.

Data retention

We keep personal information and personal health information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law, professional obligations, insurance/payment administration, and responsible clinic operations. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information:

• Clinical and personal health records: Ontario dental patient records are retained in accordance with PHIPA and professional obligations, including the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario expectation that records generally be kept for at least 10 years from the date of the last entry, and for minors for at least 10 years after they reach the age of majority.
• Website form submissions and inquiries: information you send through a website form, email, phone call, or similar inquiry is kept as long as needed to respond, administer clinic services, maintain appropriate business records, and meet legal or professional requirements. Information that becomes part of your clinical record is retained with that record.
• Log, cookie, and analytics data: website logs, cookie data, pixels, and analytics information are generally kept for shorter periods needed to operate, secure, troubleshoot, and improve the website, unless a longer period is required for security, legal, or operational reasons.

Data deletion and disposal

When information is no longer needed, we dispose of it securely using methods appropriate to the format and sensitivity of the information, such as secure deletion of electronic records or confidential destruction of paper records. Some records cannot be deleted on request if we are required or permitted to keep them for clinical, legal, regulatory, insurance, accounting, or continuity-of-care reasons.

Website forms, cookies, and analytics

Information submitted through website forms is used to respond to your request and administer clinic services. Website forms are not intended for urgent dental emergencies or highly sensitive details; if you need urgent help, call 519-624-8767.

Our website may use cookies, pixels, log files, or analytics tools to understand website traffic, improve pages, prevent abuse, and measure marketing performance. You can adjust browser settings to block or delete cookies, although some website features may not work as intended.

Your rights

Subject to legal limits, you may ask to access or correct your personal health information, ask how it has been used or disclosed, withdraw consent for optional uses, request deletion of information where legally and professionally permitted, or raise a privacy concern. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

We will respond to privacy requests as required by applicable law and professional obligations.

Questions or complaints

If you have a privacy question, request, or complaint, please contact the clinic's Office Manager:

• Dental Art Clinic, 8 Main St, Cambridge, ON N1R 1V4
• Phone: 519-624-8767
• Email: [email protected]

You may also contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario about PHIPA matters or the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada about PIPEDA matters, where applicable.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version will be posted on this page with the updated date below.

Last updated: August 27, 2026